712 Using scanning electron microscopy to elucidate the role of hair shaft malformation in the pathogenesis of Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia

Abstract

Central Centrifugal Cicatricial Alopecia (CCCA) is a scarring alopecia most common in black women. Its presentation follows a seemingly genetic pattern affecting clusters of women within a family. A study that aimed to elucidate the genetic basis for CCCA found an increased incidence of mutations and decreased expression of PID3, a gene that encodes for peptidyl arginine deiminase type 3, essential for the formation of a normal hair shaft, in scalp samples of patients with CCCA (1). Of note, PID3 is one of three genes implicated in uncombable hair syndrome, a disorder where the hair shaft appears triangular or heart shaped in cross section when viewed under scanning electron microscopy (SEM) (2).